Boat stirrup



March 21, 1961 BILLINGSLEY BOAT STIRRUP Filed July 28, 1958 Water proof Cover Strap Leonard Billings/ey 1N VENTOR. 406:.

BY QM WW Em BOAT STIRRUP Leonard Billingsley, Panama City, Fla. (2912A Beacon Beach Road, Capehart Housing, Tyndall A.F.'B., Fla), lassignor of fifty percent to Robert L. Waterson, Par- 'er, Fla.

Filed July 28, 1958, Ser. No. 751,435

1 Claim. (Cl. 182-196) The present invention relates to new and useful improvements in accessories for small boats and has for its primary object to provide, in a manner as hereinafter set forth, novel means in the form of a stirrup whereby a person desiring to do so may, with safety, minimum physical exertion and unassisted, get out of the boat into the water or board said boat from the water.

Another important object of the invention is to provide a stirrup of the aforementioned character which may be permanently attached to the boat in a position for convenient use at all times.

Other objects of the invention are to provide a boat stirrup of the character described which will be comparatively simple in construction, strong, durable, compact, of light weight and which may be manufactured at low cost.

These together with other objects and advantages which will become subsequently apparent reside in the details of construction and operation as more fully hereinafter described and claimed, reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part hereof, wherein like numerals refer to like parts throughout, and in which:

Figure 1 is a perspective view, showing a stirrup constructed in accordance with the present invention in position for use on a boat;

Figure 2 is a vertical sectional view through the lower portion of the device, taken substantially on the line 22 of Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a sectional view taken substantially on the line 33 of Figure 1, showing the manner in which the device is secured to the gunwale of the boat; and

Figure 4 is a view in transverse section, taken substantially on the line 44 of Figure 2.

Referring now to the drawing in detail, it will be seen that the embodiment of the invention which has been illustrated comprises a strap 5 of suitable flexible material. At one end, the strap 5 terminates in a loop 6 which accommodates a bracket or fitting 7 which is provided therefor beneath the gunwale 8 of a boat 9 for firmly anchoring said strap to said boat. This is shown to advantage in Figure 3 of the drawing.

At its other end, the strap 5 terminates in a foot receiving loop 10 which is secured between a pair of nited States Patent 0 2,975,858 Patented Mar. 21, 1961 "ice metallic plates 11 by rivets 12. Mounted in the foot loop 10 is a substantially triangular metallic supporting frame 13 which holds said loop open and retains same in substantially the shape shown for the reception of the foot. A protective tube 14 of a suitable plastic, rubber or other material encloses the loop '10 and retains the metallic frame 13 in position therein.

It is thought that the use of the invention will be readily apparent from a consideration of the foregoing. Briefly, the device, when not in use, is suspended in the boat in an out-of-the-way position beneath the gunw-ale 8. When the stirrup is to be used, the looped end 10 thereof is dropped over the side of the boat and suspended from the gunwale 8 thereof, as shown in Figure l of the drawing. A person leaving the boat inserts a foot in the loop 11) and lowers himself into the water. A person boarding the boat from the water inserts a foot in the loop 10 and, grasping the gunwale 8, hoists himself over the side in an obvious manner. In addition to protecting and retaining the assembly of the members 10 and 13, the plastic or rubber cover 14 assists in preventing the foot from slipping.

The foregoing is considered as illustrative only of the principles of the invention. Further, since numerous modifications and changes will readily occur to those skilled in the art, it is not desired to limit the invention to the exact construction and operation shown and described, and accordingly, all suitable modifications and equivalents may be resorted to, falling within the scope of the invention as claimed.

What is claimed as new is as follows:

A boat stirrup comprising a generally triangular foot receiving frame including a flat metallic bar free at its ends, a flat, flexible strap looped around the frame and terminating in an end portion opposed to an intermediate portion of said strap, a protective tube enclosing the frame and the looped portion of the strap, plates receiving said one end and said intermediate portions of the strap and the end portions of said protective tube therebetween, rivets securing said one end and said intermediate strap portions and said end portions of the protective tube together, and means for suspending the strap from a gunwale of a boat.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 42,015 Nichols Mar. 22, 1864 396,179 Taylor Jan. 15, 1889 559,046 Turner Apr. 28, 1896 778,090 Wellman Dec. 20, 1904 1,243,436 Marshall Oct. 16, 1917 2,651,789 Newland Sept. 15, 1953 OTHER REFERENCES Popular Science Magazine, August 1956, p. 183. 

